The invention relates to maintenance type tools and in particular to disassembly type tools. Specifically, the invention concerns a tool for removing nuts that have been corroded, jammed, or stuck in some manner on a stud, bolt, or other threaded piece.
A need has existed for a long time for a tool to remove a nut from a stud, bolt, or other threaded piece without destroying the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece. In the past the nut has often been "burned" off with an acetylene type torch, thus destroying the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece on which the nut was located. In other cases the nut has been laboriously sawed off, and at the same time damaging the stud, bolt, or threaded piece so that replacement is necessary. Often, replacing the stud, bolt, or threaded piece becomes difficult because the arrangement of the assembly and considerable time and expense is involved because one nut could not be removed easily. The present invention overcomes these difficulties.
The present invention consists of a body means that has a passageway that fits over the end of the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece and also over the nut. The body means can be configured to fit square, hexagonal, or any type of nut. The body means can also be made in a range of sizes to fit over a range of stud, bolt, or other threaded piece diameters.
A plurality of passageways (usually two, but more may be used) are provided adjacent to the passageway into which the end of the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece has been inserted. These passageways are for a drill that will be used to drill away that portion of the nut on the outside of the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece. Once at least two such drillings have been made the weakened nut structure may be broken or split away from the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece.
Note that as the drill passes through the nut on the outside edges of the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece, it is cutting away the nut at the outside diameter of the threads of the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece. This leaves a small amount of metal of the nut that is actually the threads of the nut that mesh in the threads of the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece. The cut nut (at least one drilled place on each side) may break away easily or may need a blow from a hammer or other means or need a twist by a wrench to break any remaining small amount of contact.
An alternative is to have the edges of the passageways for the drill overlap the outside diameter circle of the passageway for the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece. This will drill away a small portion of the threads on each side of the stud, bolt, or threaded piece, but will not destroy the reuse of the stud, bolt, or threaded piece. However, in this case, it must be determined that the removal of a small portion of the threads will not weaken the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece beyond safe reuse. This is an optional method and embodiment of the invention and is within scope and intent of the invention. However, the previously described embodiment that proves for drilling at the outside diameter of the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece is the preferred embodiment.
The configuration of the outside of the body means may be square, hexagonal, or other shape for convenience of handling and, if necessary, for holding in place with a wrench or other means.
Passageways are also provided in one or more sides or surfaces of the body means, that extend on a centerline direction toward the passageway for the end of the stud, bolt, or other threaded piece. A pin or bar means may be inserted in one of these passageways in order to hold the body means on the end of stud, bolt, or other threaded piece in a cramped location or situation where other means for holding the nut removal tool are not possible.
The nut removal tool is of hardened metal, usually steel. The hardening provides for wear in use, including wear where drills revolve in drill guide passageways.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a nut removal tool that can be used to remove corroded, jammed, or otherwise stuck nuts from studs, bolts, or other threaded pieces.
It is another object of the invention to provide a nut removal tool that can be made in a range of sizes for all diameters of studs, bolts, or other threaded pieces.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a nut removal tool that made in a range of sizes can be used on all configurations of nuts.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a nut removal tool that has a means for utilizing it in cramped or difficult locations.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent in the light of the following description of the preferred embodiments.